In the Spotlight: Spectrum Awards

The Spectrum Marketing Awards is a volunteer-driven awards program honoring excellence in Northwest credit union communications and marketing.

May 12, 2011

Over the course of the next month, Anthem will delve deeper into the new Awards program. The second article in the series will spotlight the Spectrum Awards for credit union marketers. (See part 1.)

Credit union marketers and communicators from Washington and Oregon get ready! The Northwest Credit Union Association is now accepting entries for its 2011 Spectrum Marketing & Communications Awards program.

Uniquely Northwest, Spectrum is the only credit unions awards program in the nation that includes entry critiques by experts in all areas of marketing and communications. But don’t spare a single day to open up your files from the past year to decide which projects you want evaluated. Receive a discount by submitting your entries by the early registration deadline of Friday, June 17. Otherwise, all entries are due Friday, July 1. Click here for more information and an entry packet.

About Spectrum. The Spectrum Marketing Awards is a volunteer-driven awards program honoring excellence in Northwest credit union communications and marketing. Any Association member credit union that has produced or has had someone else produce a piece of credit union communications can enter.

In addition to an opportunity to showcase the work of your credit union to peers from across the Northwest, winners will be honored at the Spectrum Awards Dinner Luncheon the Thursday of the First Annual NWCUA Convention and Annual Business Meeting in Tacoma, September 13-16. The Luncheon brings together hundreds of credit union professionals, from graphic designers and communications specialists to marketing VPs and CEOs, to celebrate the work being produced by their marketing and communications teams.

The hardware that is handed out is impressive. But it’s not the reason most credit unions enter the Spectrum Awards. Ask a seasoned Spectrum entrant and they’ll likely tell you that the judge evaluations and critique is the primary reason they enter.

The award itself is a recognizable display piece. However, it’s the evaluation that allows credit union communicators to make what they do better…immediately.

Some experts have set up cottage industries by becoming communications auditors, and charging hundreds or even thousands of dollars to give their opinion about your communications products. The Association gives you the opportunity once a year to have similar work done for the low cost of entering the awards program. It’s a break-even enterprise for the sole purpose of honoring your work and helping you succeed.

Categories. A detailed description of the general categories is found on the Spectrum page of the Association’s Website, but they include:

Annual Reports

Branding

Broadcast Media

Coordinated Campaign

Digital Media/E-Marketing

Newsletters

Print

Public Relations

Website

And credit unions compete against credit unions of similar size. Asset categories include:

Under $50M

$50M - $150M

$150M - $350M

$350M - $600M

Greater than $600M

So, take a few moments and review last year’s publications, marketing materials, advertising campaigns, and your widgets and gadgets. Choose your best creations and send your entry in by July 1!